


From Sweet Fellowship Comes Nectar

by Laura JV (jacquez)



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Dwarf Gender Concepts, Elf Gender Concepts, Intersex, Interspecies, Other, cross-cultural communication, cultural construction of gender, elladan and elrohir think they're funny, non-human reproductive biology, nonstandard pronouns, the weasley twins of middle-earth, under-negotiated sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-04 08:06:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14588664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacquez/pseuds/Laura%20JV
Summary: Gimli and Legolas negotiate the borders of their bodies and their hearts, aided by affection, impeded by their own understanding.





	From Sweet Fellowship Comes Nectar

**Author's Note:**

> There is some exploration of different cultural constructs of gender in this story, as well as non-human reproductive biologies for sentient, human-like species. If you would like to read about these ahead of time, they are in the end notes.
> 
> This is a bookverse AU, in that it largely follows the timelines and events of the book. A few lines of dialogue have come directly from The Return of the King. 
> 
> The title is a quote from Li Young-Lee's "From Blossoms": https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43012/from-blossoms
> 
> Pronunciation note: "khi" is pronounced like "kih" and "khî" like "key".
> 
> Thank you to Linzee, maristu, & Basingstoke for some character brainstorming in chat, and to Basingstoke for the beta.

In Lothlórien, Gimli took advantage of a quiet moment in their camp, when the Men were away on some errand, to unpack khî pack and sort through it, repairing anything broken. “What's that?" asked Frodo, pointing at khî funnel. Gimli hesitated, not sure how to describe what it was for without giving away that khi was not, as they all assumed, male-sexed.

 

“It's for when you make water," said Legolas, unexpectedly. “Elves call them woods-keys. They help keep your clothing clean." He smiled at Gimli. “I don't think Men use them. Filthy beasts."

 

Gimli had to laugh, at that, and Frodo laughed, too, and wandered off to see what his kin were doing. Legolas watched him go, and then said in a low voice, “It is well it was only I and Frodo who saw that, Gimli. Men — what some Men will do to anyone who is female is foul beyond the telling of it. I do not like to think ill of any of our fellowship, but be careful."

 

“My father warned me," khi said, tucking khî funnel into khî belt pouch. Khi studied Legolas for a moment. "Foul beyond the telling of it" seemed worse than what khî father had implied, but who knew what Elves considered fair or foul, truly? Yet khi and Legolas had become something like friends, these past few days, and khi wanted to trust him. Finally, khi said, “It is why we are all 'he', outside our homes." 

 

“Ah," said Legolas. “I had thought it might be so, but I could not be sure without asking offensive questions of every Dwarf I met."

 

“And we all know you would never offend a Dwarf," Gimli said, narrowing khî eyes in mock-anger.

 

“Never," said Legolas, mock-serious in return. “Come, friend Gimli, if you are done with your work, I have found a delightful waterfall, and would share it with you."

 

Gimli grinned. Now that Legolas knew, khi intended to swim entirely unclad, and he would have to hide his eyes. 

 

The waterfall was lovely, a spritely thread of silver leaping down the rocks, and khi stripped down and waded into the stream at its foot. "Ai!" said Legolas, but he did not look away as khi had expected. "That is unfair of you, friend, for now I must worry that you will take it amiss if I go about in my skin." 

 

"I've seen you in the altogether before," Gimli answered. "You frolic in every stream that isn't iced over." 

 

Legolas huffed, and shucked his clothes, joining khî in the water. "You never do," he said, "though now I don't wonder at it. Is this the source of the rumor that Dwarves dislike water?"

 

"Probably," said Gimli, and dove down into the water to yank Legolas under by his leg, no easy feat as Legolas was built as solidly as the trees he loved. He grabbed khî at the waist as khi pushed off of him, and pulled khî down with him. They surfaced in a mighty splash, laughing and laughing, pressed together from Gimli’s shoulder downwards, and khi thought with satisfaction that Legolas, at least, did not care in the slightest how many caverns khi kept in khî trousers. 

 

~~~

 

For all that Fangorn made khî nervous, the voyage there was worth it -- for the knowledge of their Hobbit friends, and for the return of Gandalf. Gimli was particularly well pleased to have the wizard back, for khi and khî fellow-wizards were like to Dwarves, going about always such that Men assumed they were male-sex. It made Gimli feel less odd and out of place, for though Legolas had never by word or sign betrayed that he knew anything, it was still not the same as being among those who truly understood. And yet riding before Gandalf on Shadowfax was not so pleasant, somehow, as riding close behind Legolas on Arod. Shadowfax was magnificent -- Gimli did not like the over-large horses of Men and Elves, but khi could see Shadowfax for what he was -- but it unsettled something in khîself to have Legolas farther away than the reach of khî arm. 

 

They all of them rode to Edoras, and Gimli had never seen Gandalf among Men before. The wizard seemed more on khî guard than khi had amongst Elrond's folk, and what khi hinted at -- between Wormtongue and the Lady of Rohan -- twisted ugly in Gimli's stomach. Khi had been warned, khi reminded khîself, by khî father and by Legolas. Yes, but khi but had not understood, for khi had only heard whispers of such things, and had thought only of distrust, of dismissal, of being treated less-than. Khi had not imagined anyone forcing women to lie with them, nor trying to acquire them like possessions, nor dogging-footsteps, for those were heavy crimes among Dwarves. Legolas brushed his hand over khî shoulder, and khi looked up at him. He smiled down at khî, and there was something like sympathy in the expression. Khi reached up to touch his hand in return, feeling a rush of relief at his understanding. Gandalf looked over at them, and khi, too, looked reassuring. Gimli disliked having to think of such things -- khi never had to at home.

 

"We should stay close together," Legolas murmured, in khî ear. "We do not know these Men, nor how they may feel about your race and mine."

 

"You will not make me believe you fear them!" Gimli said. "You, as fell-handed as any of their kind." 

 

"I fear the hand of Saruman has been long among them," Legolas returned, and he frowned.

 

They dined at the king's table, eating and talking rapidly after the fashion of those going to battle, and all around them the king's household made ready to leave. It sat not well with Gimli that Éowyn, though armed and clad in mail, was left behind to guard the silent house of her fathers, and to rule there, rather than to fight. It was clear from her strength that she was no stranger to arms, and besides that she was a child of Rohan, no doubt skilled in horse-combat. And khi knew that had Hama not spoken, not said to Théoden-King that the Mark would follow Éowyn, she would have been left behind without even leadership as a sop to her pride. 

 

Gimli was not over-fond of how Men handled things, and khi thought long about this as khi rode behind Éomer. When they made their bivouac that night, Legolas -- though he did not often sleep -- laid his bedroll next to Gimli's and curled his long body upon it, his eyes watchful. "I have missed you at my back, though you have been beside me all this ride," he said.

 

Gimli flushed, unaccountably, and hoped it was dark enough to hide khî skin from Legolas's sharp eyes. "Mayhap we shall ride together in the future," khi said, and touched Legolas's long-fingered hand where it lay between them. "But I will not give insult to the king's heir by declining to ride with him." 

 

"Nor should you," said Legolas, and tangled their fingers together in the darkness. 

 

The next day's ride brought ill news, and Gandalf left them as they changed course for Helm's Deep. Gimli liked the countryside, rising up to the mountains; it was strong land, with good rock beneath. Legolas rode close at hand, easy to see in the gloom, for he had the faint eerie shimmer of all his kind. 

 

It was late when the company reached Helm's Deep, and he and Legolas made their way up above to look out upon the field where the enemy would gather, once they breached the Dike, as they surely must. Gimli stood at the breastwork, with Legolas on a parapet above, his bow ready in his hand. They spoke to each other, as much comfort as preparation for battle, and Gimli felt the stone under khî feet and the strength of the mountain at khî back, and the stone's own awareness of Legolas -- like a bright cold flame, dangerous and alien -- hummed through khî like water through a sieve. Legolas's words echoed in khî heart:  _ I am glad to have you standing nigh. But you comfort me. Dwarves are strange folk _ .

 

Khi was so tired, but there was no sleep to be had, and when Éomer and Aragorn broke the coterie of Orcs ramming at the gates, Gimli followed them, and when the Orcs brought Éomer down, khi leapt upon them, crying out "Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!" and hewing through two necks with one mighty stroke. 

 

Khi scarcely minded that Legolas's tally was twenty, when khi returned to his side. They were divided again, and again, as the battle or the needs of the defenders swept them from each other, and Gimli could only hope khî friend was well, in-between times. Gimli found khîself with Éomer again, fighting their way back to the Deep. One Orc's sword bit deep, cleaving Gimli's helm and bloodying khî head, but the damnable thing lost khî own head for it. Éomer's group reached the caves with hardly a lost life, though many a wound. 

 

And oh, the caves. They were like nothing khi had ever seen -- treasures of Mahal beneath the earth -- and the Men seemed not to see them. The stairways and secret passages ran back into the mountains, and the caves wended this way and that, glorious and all uncaring of Men, but thrumming deep into Gimli's bones with their speech. Khi left them only reluctantly -- and only because Gandalf had returned, and khi would see how Legolas fared. 

 

~~~

 

Aragorn tended Gimli's wound while Legolas bathed, for he had much healing skill in his blood and in his training from Lord Elrond, and then Legolas occupied Aragorn with setting up the bedrolls so that Gimli might have privacy for khî own bath. After a while, Gandalf called for Aragorn, and so Legolas and Gimli were left alone. 

 

"Gimli," Legolas said, and held out a length of linen, for Gimli to wrap khîself in, "Gimli, my dearest friend, I feared you lost in this long night." He was standing close, his hands hovering over Gimli's shoulders. "I--" and then he bent his head, and his hands were suddenly cupping khî jaw, his fingers in khî beard, and his mouth touched akhi, swiftly, and then he was drawing away, a blush high in his cheeks.

 

Khi captured his hands and kissed him back, shaken with sudden fire, wanting only to know his mouth again. "Oh," he said, against khî lips, and then his long, thick-muscled arms were around khî and they were pressed together, and khi shivered against him, for no one had ever touched khî like this before. "Gimli," he said, pulling away to look into khî eyes, "this is not -- this is not battle-lust. I would be yours, and you mine, now and tomorrow and a hundred years hence." 

 

“Yes," khi said, and tumbled with him onto the bedrolls, kissing him again and again as his hands pulled the linen from khî body and worked at the fastening of his trousers, until they were naked together. Khi had never been naked with another before; khi had only kissed, only entwined with another clothed. Legolas was over khî and around khî, for he was very tall even for an Elf, and broad in the shoulder besides, and khi shivered under his hands. Khi did not understand all he did, but khi did not want him to stop -- not with these hot, drugging kisses, nor with the draw of his fingers up khî thighs to khî sex, the secret cave where no one had ever entered. Khi whimpered against his mouth when he breached khî there, and he drew back and smiled down at khî, watching khî with bright eyes as his hand moved inside and against khî. Surely he did not know what it meant, to enter the caverns of the body, but he had said _ I would be yours _ and so Gimli had no wish to deny him. Khi touched his face, traced his smile with khî fingers, and he dipped his head to kiss khî flat, muscled chest. He slid down, and down, until his mouth was at the join of khî thighs. 

 

"Yes?" he asked. 

 

"Anything," khi said, though khi thought, hazily, that khi ought to tell him about the Dwarven rituals of taking a lover.

 

Legolas paused at that, his fingers still inside khî. "We should have discussed--" he broke off and leaned his forehead against khî stomach. “Gimli. How do your people engender children?"   
  
"Oh damn," Gimli said. Khi wanted to press up into his hand, but instead khi held still.    
  
“With Elves," he said, “both parents must — must will a child into being. I know it is not so with Men, and so a woman may become a mother against her will—Gimli, I would not do this to you, if —“   
  
“No," khi said, “we are like Men in that. Nothing that could get a child, then."   
  
He kissed khî stomach. “And — we should have  _ talked _ , before — Gimli, for my people, anything that could cause a child is a marriage — and I would marry you happily — but perhaps —“   
  
“After the war," khi said, and shifted khî hips so that his hand slid within khî. Khi could not think clearly; Legolas filled every sense.   
  
“Yes," he said, and lowered his head to tongue khî cockhead, standing erect at the top of khî sex. “After the war." He pressed the flat of his tongue into khî slit and the palm of his hand against khî entrance, and khi cried out with the joy of it. “So we are betrothed, then," he said, his breath hot on khî skin, his long strong fingers inside khî. He kissed Gimli's cockhead again. "Such a pretty mouthful, here," he whispered. He slid his mouth over Gimli's cockhead, and khî fingers scrabbled at the bedroll. That Legolas should give the cavern of his mouth!   
  
Khi touched his shining hair and the delicate point of his ear, and he whimpered softly against khî, then slid his free arm around khî waist and pulled khî fiercely to him. Everything about him was strong and vital; a living heartbeat in the midst of all this death. Khi felt khî entire body clench and then shudder, waves of some powerful feeling rolling over khî, utterly unlike anything khi had ever felt before. Legolas held khî through it, and then let khî down, kissing khî stomach gently before easing his hand free of khî body.   
  
“Oh," khi said, and reached for him. He slid upwards, half-smiling, and khi took his face between khî hands and kissed him, tasting khîself in his mouth. Khi could feel the jut of his cock, much larger than khî own, hard against khî leg, but he did not try to rub against khî, only kissed khî back, warm and sweet and enthusiastic. Khi felt unaccountably shy, suddenly, as if the offer of khî hand would not be good enough, would not please him enough, though he had given no indication of such, nor even demanded khi touch him. Khi was not quite ready to offer what he had given.   
  
“I love you," he murmured, between kisses. “Sweet as a long summer, beautiful as starlight."    
  


Gimli ran khî hand down Legolas's body to touch the tip of his cock. He whimpered again, as he had when khi touched his ear, and trembled. Emboldened, khi wriggled down so that khi could get khî whole hand around it, and was rewarded by seeing him with arms outflung and his head tipped back, his whole body arched like a bowstring. “Gimli," he gasped, “oh, please, again." Khi did, and he arched again, gasped again. His cock was warm and solid in khî hand, and the skin on it soft as silk, and it leapt against khî palm as khi worked him slowly, watching his face, his wide eyes and parted lips. “Please," he said, his voice breaking, and khi began to move a little faster. His hips jerked, sudden and sharp, and his cock jerked, and then — khî hand was sticky, and khi frowned for a second before realizing that he must have spent. Khi looked at khî hand, feeling a trifle confused, and then Legolas leaned forward and sucked khî fingers into his mouth. Khi shivered at the feel of his tongue. “You're going to be the death of me," khi said.   
  
“But what a death," he said, against khî palm, and looked up at khî with laughing eyes. Khi pulled him close and kissed him.   
  


~~~

  
They drowsed together, Legolas's head on Gimli's chest, and his long legs curling around akhi.

 

“I hear Aragorn's footsteps," said Legolas, after a time.

 

“Hm," said Gimli, sleepily. Legolas kissed khî softly. 

 

“I have no shame in loving you, but if you do not wish him to know, it would be best for us to part." 

 

Gimli opened khî eyes. “I only wish him not to know what I have in my trousers, and that is hidden well enough by the bedroll," khi said, and curled close to Legolas again. His arms came round khî and held khî to him, both like and unlike when khî parents used to hold khî as a dwarfling. Safe and strong, but also with the length of his naked body against akhi, warming khî blood even in khî sleepiness and satisfaction. Khi was almost asleep again when the door opened.

 

“Legolas," Aragorn said, very low; if Gimli had been full-asleep it would not have woken khî. “Do my senses deceive me? Did you  _ wed _ him? Here?"

 

“We are betrothed," Legolas answered, stroking Gimli's hair. 

 

“He is injured; I hope you did nothing to cause him further hurt."

 

“I would not," Legolas said. “And the wound is healing well, thanks to your physic."

 

There was the sound of Aragorn undressing and shuffling into his bedroll, and then a long sigh. “Your father is going to have kittens.  _ His _ father is going to have kittens."

 

“It will keep the mice out of the granaries, then," said Legolas, and then Gimli was asleep.

 

~~~   
  


It was good to be back on Arod, holding Legolas close as they rode for Isengard, though Legolas had murmured soft in khî ear before they mounted that they had best pretend, in front of Théoden's men, that they were no more than friends. Gimli knew it for truth, but it stung nonetheless when Legolas proposed that they travel "for a while together" after the war, when only a few hours before he had called them betrothed. 

 

They camped with all the company after moonset, and Gimli slept again, though not in Legolas's arms this time. Still, Legolas was close by, sitting crosslegged beside Gimli, his knee resting so close that Gimli closed khî hand under the curve of his thigh, and felt the warmth of him all through khî. And when the awful darkness thundered around them, Legolas groped for khî hand and held it tightly, and Gimli soothed him in khî turn, for when it was over Legolas turned his face to khî shoulder with a soft, broken cry, as if something in him had been wounded. In the moonless night, all color was leached out of him, the dark gold of his hair nearly black under the stars, only the faint shimmer of his skin and the scent of him telling Gimli that this was khî lover.

 

Khi held him, lending him khî strength against khi knew not what pain, and eventually he took a deep breath and was himself again. 

 

At Isengard, they were reunited with Merry and Pippin, much to their joy, and it was pleasant to be out under the sky, smoking, with so many of their Fellowship. Legolas looked dreamy and wild, an eerie ageless creature of great beauty, and his deep voice was soft when he spoke. The sound rumbled against Gimli like an earthfall where they were pressed together, Legolas’s ribs against khî shoulder. But they could not stay and rest, but must ride off again, back to Helm's Deep and then once again to Edoras. In this they were joined by Aragorn's kinfolk, the Grey Company of the Dúnedain. Halbarad, Aragorn's close kin, and the sons of Elrond, his foster-brothers and distant cousins, all knew Legolas of old. Gimli expected them to be disinclined to welcome khî, but instead they were as warm as might be expected of seasoned warriors who had seen much grief. Not one of them questioned khî place at Aragorn's side, nor upon Arod with Legolas. Gimli was reminded that the Dúnedain had many dealings with the Dwarves, and that Elrond's courtesy -- as strange and Elvish as it was -- was the true courtesy which does not fail, and that he had taught his children well. 

 

The lady Éowyn met them in Edoras, and offered them the hospitality of her uncle's house. During the meal, Legolas spoke mostly to Elrond's sons, in his own tongue, and Gimli tried not to be resentful of it. After the meal, they were given a room which they were to share with Aragorn, and Legolas returned to Gimli's side. “I have spoken to Elladan and Elrohir,” he said, “and asked them for any word they have of the war in the North, of your kin and mine.” His fair face was troubled. “Many of the Dúnedain could not be mustered for this ride, for they are defending the North. King Dain has gathered all his warriors from the Lonely Mountain and the Iron Hills on the battle-plain before Erebor, and my father has sent a thousand archers thence and a thousand more south towards Dol Guldur. The magic of my father’s gates may keep many who cannot fight safe in his strongholds, but Sauron’s forces come from all directions.”

 

Gimli bowed khî head, which still ached a bit from the wound khi had taken at Helm's Deep. “This is grave news indeed.” Khi took a deep breath. Worry for khî kin would do no good here, in the cold Southern spring; all that remained was to fight as well as khi could. 

 

Aragorn was still without, so Gimli said, "Among your father's people, do any women ride to war?"

 

Legolas said, “Elleth, ellon, and ellben alike may be warriors."

 

Gimli frowned. "Ellben? I do not know this word." 

 

Legolas made a humming noise. “Elves are born neither elleth nor ellon,” he said. “We are born ellben, and some of us choose to remain so. We — we have a choice, in what we are, in what our bodies become.”

 

Gimli considered this. It seemed strange to khî, but no stranger than how Men seemed to arrange things, with one’s parts telling everyone what one was. “Dwarves,” khi said, “as I have told you, are always ‘he’ outside our homes. Inside our homes we are no different from each other, except that if one is pregnant, one stays away from the eyes of outsiders. There is no choosing to be one thing or another, for we are all one.” 

 

Legolas hummed again. “So it is as if Dwarves are all ellbin, in a way.” He looked pleased, his eyes bright. 

 

Gimli asked, “How do Elves choose? It is strange to me.” 

 

“Oh! I chose very young, myself, so young I barely remember being ellben, no, nor the choice itself. I remember a sense that I was an ellon and nothing else, and I did not wish anyone to call me ellben any longer. I was far too young for my body to change when I chose. But it is not always so. If you ask Elladan, he will tell you that he almost did not choose to be ellon at all, except that Elrohir had already chosen and he wished to be like his brother. So there may be many reasons to choose, or to stay ellben if that is one’s wish.”

 

Gimli tapped khî fingers on khî knee. "Have I met any ellbin? I should not like to call them 'he' by accident, nor 'she', if those are not the words they would choose." 

 

"You have met Lindir, yes, in Rivendell? They are an ellben. And no doubt many others, but I am sure you remember them; they are very beautiful and talkative, so they are hard to miss." 

 

Gimli considered. Lindir, in khî memory, was indeed a very pretty sort, with large dark eyes and a firm chin, and a cascade of soft brown hair. They -- that was the word Legolas was using -- they had a light voice, pleasing to the ear, but not so deep as Legolas's, nor Elrond's, nor Elrond's sons' voices -- yet deeper than the lady Arwen's or Queen Galadriel's. Khi had assumed they were male-sex, because they had the flat chest that male-sex Elves all had, and female-sex Elves did not. "So ellbin may look to the eyes of outsiders like ellyn? Or ellith?" 

 

"Yes," said Legolas, "and often it is very tiring to try to explain, so we do not." 

 

Gimli considered all that khi had learned, from this talk. If they were indeed to wed, they must agree on some things, on some way of bridging what was true for each of their kinds. Khi could no more become  _ she _ than khi could become a bird, but one day khi might have a half-Elven child who could. “If we have children,” khi said, “you will not try to tell them what they must be, no matter what their parts.”

 

Legolas smiled. “No,” he said. “And you shall not tell them they must be only one thing, if they wish to choose.” 

 

“We are agreed, then,” said Gimli. And then Aragorn joined them, and they spoke no more, but Legolas laid his bedroll against Gimli's and they curled up together to rest. 

 

Come the morning, the lady Éowyn begged leave to ride with them, but Aragorn would not agree. Gimli watched, and frowned. Khi was discomfited by how Men acted as if Éowyn were — something odd. Khi wished Gandalf were here; khi, at least, would understand how alien Gimli found this attitude. 

 

The road the Grey Company would take was long, and Aragorn rode sometimes with Elrond's sons, and other times amongst his people, and other times with Legolas and Gimli. He was stern and tall and serious, a great King of Men in truth, and if Gimli had not known him for months now, khi might have been too shy to speak, even though khî question burned khî. Khi understood that Aragorn could not have her ride with the Grey Company without her uncle’s will, but khi also understood the fire in Éowyn’s eyes, and her strong arm, and it seemed to khî that none of the Men about cared for these things.

 

“Aragorn," said Gimli at last, “why is Éowyn not permitted to fight and ride with her people?" 

 

Aragorn opened his mouth, then closed it again, and looked thoughtful, and finally said “Among Men the women are usually not permitted to fight. I was raised in the house of Lord Elrond, and so it has always seemed strange to me, but such are the ways of the Rohirrim and the Gondorians, at least."

 

"And your Dúnedain, it seems," said Gimli, nodding to the host around them. It seemed that Aragorn had tried to evade khî question, as if khi could not tell that all those in this company, save khîself, were male-sex. Aragorn made an acknowledging face.

 

“It is also that among Men, our womenfolk are not as strong of arm as our men. There are some women who are powerfully strong, but we seem often to be made differently, though I know not why. It is not so with Elves; my lady Arwen could face a man or an Orc in battle, though she does not care to fight when she can avoid it. The Eldar are all strong."

 

“And yet I do not think I have seen an elleth in battle," khi said. “Though I do not doubt your lady's power, Aragorn."

 

“You will come among my father's guard, after we are wed," said Legolas, “and meet with my captains and their archers and scouts, and many are the ellith among them."

 

“Strange questions, from a race whose womenfolk are rarely seen outside their homes," said Aragorn, and Gimli felt Legolas tense under khî hands. 

 

“Would you know if they were?" khi asked. “Could you tell them apart from our males?"

 

Aragorn's face became thoughtful. “I suppose I might not, at that," he said, and they all three rode on in silence. 

 

The road and the wood turned dark, and the company pressed forward, and came to the Dark Door. Gimli wondered, as they walked those dark paths, as khi stumbled and crawled and despaired, if khi were struck more by them than the Men had been because of khî nature. The accursed feel seemed to stick to khî: paths under the world, even those befouled by Orc and Balrog, had never felt so before, as if something were twisted in the stone itself, as if the unnatural lingering of the dead were a taint only a Dwarf could feel. Khi clung to Legolas when they were remounted, feeling the grit of the cave floors under khî fingernails, but under that the thrum of Legolas's blood and the thud of his heart. The Dead were following, and the night was black, and the air was sick, but Legolas was alive under khî hands, and for now that was enough.

 

~~~

 

The Dead were fearsome fighters, and with them the Grey Company took back many lands of Gondor, and rallied the free folk to their cause, enough to crew the black ships of the corsairs and to fill them with troops besides. Gimli had no love for ships, but slept aboard nonetheless, with Legolas at one side and Aragorn at the other, for they would need all their strength to defend Minas Tirith. Legolas woke often, giving a little cry each time, and Gimli finally reached out and held his hand tightly. After that, Legolas woke no more -- or at least, if he did, he made no sound. The black ships were fleet, and bore them to battle, and in the cold dread and battle-heat of that long day Gimli could scarcely spare a thought for anything beyond khî axe and the reach of khî arm. Khi hewed many necks, and lost sight of Legolas in the fray. Late in the day, khi found khîself near Éomer as the sun spilled red over the river and the fields. "Ho, Éomer," khi said. "We have met again, at the side of a great lord," for Aragorn was only a little ways off.

 

"Well-met," Éomer said, "but this has been a grim day, for my uncle and my sister both fell to the Nazgûl." 

 

"Your sister! I thought she was not permitted to join the battle." They were side by side, now, pressing upon some Haradrim who could not get under Éomer's guard, for Gimli's axe was there; nor could they reach Gimli, for the long reach of Éomer's blade.

 

"She disguised herself, and fell defending my uncle," Éomer said, and the choke in his voice made Gimli fight all the harder. "She slew the Witch-King." 

 

Gimli felt a flame in khî heart for such a fierce lady, denied her rights as a warrior. Khi grieved that she had died, but khi felt all the defiance that had taken Éowyn to the place she had considered her birthright, and put it into the swing of khî axe. After a time, khi said, "She was fierce, your sister, like the white flame at the heart of a forge." 

 

An arrow whipped over Gimli's shoulder and bloomed in the face of one of the Haradrim before them, and at that the last few of them broke, and all of them turned and fled towards the river: red with the setting sun, red with blood. "Legolas!" Gimli cried, for who else would dare such a shot? Khi turned, and khî lover was astride Arod, his bow ready to shoot again. He was tall and red-brown in the light, some fell and alien thing with bloodlust in his eyes, but then he smiled, and lowered his weapon, and was Legolas again: fair beyond mortal, but still only himself.

 

"My friends," he said to them, "the battle is won, for there are none left of the enemy to fight it." He reached down and pulled Gimli up behind him, and khi closed khî eyes and breathed him in. He fit against khî body as if he were made to be there, and khi could not stop a sharp spike of desire from lighting in khî belly, even through khî exhaustion and the blood and filth that covered the both of them. They had survived the day.

 

~~~

 

The Grey Company pitched their tents on the fields before Minas Tirith, and Legolas and Gimli were placed with Aragorn and the sons of Elrond. Yet Aragorn was gone to the City with Éomer and Imrahil, and Elladan and Elrohir were gone on some errand of their own, and so the tent was quiet. Legolas hung a partition for privacy, and they bathed as best they could in a bucket of cold water. Afterwards, they leaned into each other, half-dressed, exhausted from battle and from the weary and dread journey with the dead. Legolas held Gimli's hand in his, turning it over to look at it, running his long fingers over it. He seemed completely absorbed in what he was doing, as gentle as a soft rain. 

 

Gimli watched him. Khi had noticed that Legolas had taken, in front of others, to saying  _ Gimli this _ and  _ Gimli that _ , when he could, instead of  _ he _ . Khi wondered how Legolas saw khî -- if he truly understood that all Dwarves were one, that Gimli was not like an elleth or a woman, that khi was not a she-Dwarf, for there was no such thing. For he had said that among the Elves, there were three-- and Gimli did not think that ellbin were like Dwarves, exactly, though khi could not be sure. A lock of Legolas's hair fell across his face, and Gimli said, softly, “Would you love me less, if I were male-sex?" 

 

Legolas looked up from khî hand. “I do not think so," he said. “I have never confined myself in pleasure to one kind, so I do not think I would confine myself in love, except that there is only one I love."

 

Some knot in Gimli's chest unclenched. "And have you much experience of pleasure, then?" 

 

Legolas kissed khî hand, then turned it and kissed the inside of khî wrist. "Long winter dalliances, and summer nights naked among green leaves I have aplenty, but never what I have with you. And you?"

 

"Before you, I had never been skin-to-skin with another," khi answered, and he blinked, startled. 

 

"Never? I would not have been so forward, had I known."

 

"You were lovely," khi said, firmly, for it was true. Legolas did not know all the rules of admitting another to the caverns of one’s body, and khi had been more than willing to let him in. Perhaps they should have spoken together more, told each other more of what these touches meant, but it mattered little enough now, for they were lovers and betrothed and therefore any desired touch was permitted.

 

Legolas shook his head. "I am half-ashamed of myself, that I did not even consider you might not have done these things, and half-pleased with myself, for pleasing  _ you _ so well." Gimli tugged him closer and kissed him, and Legolas slid into khî lap, supple as a willow wand. "There are things I have never done," Legolas said, against Gimli's mouth. "Things I will do only with you, and if you will not have me, with no one else for all my life." 

 

They were both frantic, then, for they knew they had only a short time before their companions returned. Yet there was little comfort they could offer one another, truly, not in words nor with their bodies, for despair crept around them. None knew how Frodo fared, and it was a pall over everything, even over Legolas's hands on khî body, even over his sweet kisses and the press of his strong thigh between akhi, and his murmured love-talk. Gimli trembled against him and wanted to feel his body within khî as khi had never wanted such a thing before, but -- after the war. Khi whispered it into his hair as he moved over khî, and he smiled, stroking his fingers through khî hair. "Surely we must both survive," he said, "for fate would not be so unkind as to take us from each other," and then he wept, eyes-open, something in his eyes like gems shattered by careless hammer-blows. Gimli kissed him again, kissed the tears from his face, wondering at this sudden storm.

 

Voices sounded outside; it was Aragorn and the sons of Elrond returning, and with news that Éowyn yet lived, though she was grievously wounded, and Merry and Pippin as well. Gimli flushed as Elladan -- khi thought it was Elladan -- flicked his eyes over khî bare chest, and over Legolas's bare chest, and raised his eyebrows. Legolas placed one hand on khî shoulder, and said nothing, but Elladan seemed taken aback for a second, then shrugged, and nothing at all was said when Legolas and Gimli retreated behind the privacy-curtain for sleep. "If they have questions, they can ask Aragorn," Legolas said, softly into Gimli's ear. "For myself, I would not be apart from you any longer."

 

Gimli rolled on top of him. "Go to sleep," khi said, "or at least, be quiet, so that I can sleep. It's bad enough that you shine in the dark, without being noisy, too." Legolas hummed, deep in his chest, and wrapped his long arms around khî.

 

"Do not let me go," he said. 

 

~~~

 

It worried Gimli, a little, that shattered thing in Legolas's eyes -- but it was not until they met Merry and Pippin in the city the next morning that khi knew what it was. Legolas slipped from song to speech to silence, and then came gulls on the wing, and Legolas cried out at the sight of them, and spoke of how they troubled his heart. “Deep in the hearts of all my kindred lies the sea-longing, which it is perilous to stir. Alas! for the gulls. No peace shall I have again under beech or under elm."

 

"Say not so!" Gimli answered, but now khi had a new fear: that the Sea would take Legolas, that fate might let them both live, but yet part them forever. Khi could not speak this fear to khî lover, not as the armies mustered to march on the Black Gate, for the war still might divide them, and both of them would take what comfort they could in the other's company.  _ Do not borrow trouble _ , khi told khîself,  _ nor sorrow, but live in hope, for he is yet by your side _ . 

 

Legolas went back to Minas Tirith on the second day, alone, and Gimli wondered at it. Khi was more interested in the war-councils, and stayed with Aragorn and the others as they considered strategy. "Why does Legolas not come here?" khi asked Elrond's sons, and Elrohir -- khi was getting better at telling them apart, and Elrohir had the deeper voice -- said, "Legolas has no patience for this work."

 

"He never has," said Elladan. "If it cannot be decided in five minutes, Legolas will not be there if he can be elsewhere. Indeed, I was astonished he attended the council at Rivendell. If he were not sent as his father's representative, and if he did not bear great love for Estel, I am sure he would have drowned himself in the river instead."

 

"He is not quite so ridiculous as  _ that _ ," said Elrohir, "but as you are betrothed to him, Gimli, you had best prepare to act as his agent; his friends will not do it for him any longer once he is wed." 

 

Gimli sighed. "Well, it is little enough payment, for the pleasure of his company and his love, I suppose."

 

"That's the spirit," said Elladan, clapping khî on the shoulder. "You have chosen a difficult road, for Legolas has woken to the sea-longing." 

 

"He was ever given to flights of fancy, and now he is nearly intolerable," put in Elrohir, and though he was smiling, his eyes were serious. "The sea-longing is no small thing. And I know his father will sink into despair--"

 

"--or else into his cups--"

 

"--trying to keep hold of him, for Legolas can be quite the eel when he wants to be--"

 

"--but he seems inclined to let you hold him, so hold him tight, Gimli. We would miss him if he were gone." 

 

Legolas returned in time to eat with them, his eyes bright and his spirit light as a young bird. Khi noticed that Elrohir and Elladan, now they had openly accepted the love-match of Elf and Dwarf, took to teasing Legolas until he blushed.

 

"So," said Elrohir, "have you, Estel, or you, Gimli, heard the tale of when Legolas was to marry our sister?"

 

" _ Elbereth _ ," said Legolas, putting his face into his hands.

 

Aragorn looked somewhat alarmed. "I have never heard such a thing," he said. 

 

"Oh, it was long ago," said Elladan, "and neither Legolas nor Arwen were much in favor of it, but King Thranduil wished to make a good match for his son, and he and our grandfather were not speaking at the time--"

 

"--some argument over fishing-rights," put in Elrohir, "which was a most pointless affair, as they were in disagreement about a creek that passed Dol Guldur, but you can't tell either of them anything--"

 

"--and father was quite surprised when Legolas arrived with a message and with his fair countenance and princely mien showed his obedience to his father’s wishes--" Elladan made a dramatic, fluttering gesture into the air.

 

Legolas lost all his considerable dignity and giggled into his hand, and Gimli could not tear khî eyes away, for he was beautiful and his laughter made him look untroubled, as he had not looked since they had taken to the Paths of the Dead.

 

"--and of course  _ our _ father could not go against our grandfather, no matter how fair a prize might be won thereby. And thus father absolutely forbade Arwen to have anything to do with Legolas--" 

 

"Which we promptly ignored," interrupted Legolas, "for both of us found the situation amusing, and it angered my father that I should write to Arwen so often and yet not be betrothed, and it angered Lord Elrond that she disobeyed him to write to me at all, and these two assisted us with all good will to distress our fathers so that they nearly came to blows when next they met."

 

“For your obedient air, my friend, was only seeming; you are deceitful and false, and here we are warning your betrothed about your true nature,” Elrohir said. 

 

Aragorn laughed now, no longer alarmed by the tale. "Are these the letters Arwen showed me?" he asked. "The ones about the Mirkwood spiders and the Elven-king's trade war over wine?" 

 

"I was hardly going to write her love-notes," said Legolas, and he sounded scandalized. "I shall show you hers sometime; they have a good deal of embarrassing material about these her brothers, which I am sure you will put to use."

 

"I take it that Elves spend their long years thinking up ways to trouble their kin," said Gimli, and Legolas smiled and took khî hand. 

 

"We sing a great deal, as well, and climb a great many trees, and we drink far too much wine."

 

"And we hunt Orcs," said Elladan, "for the years are both too short and too long, and one must fill them somehow." There was a fierceness in his face that Gimli had seen in flashes, before; a deep anger and hatred that ran through him like a vein of ore. Khi wondered that khi had ever thought Elves both faithless and frivolous. Every Elf khi met gave lie to it. They were fair and perilous, creatures of great age and deep currents, and yet young and merry and as able to tease a friend as to stand by them in battle.

 

Khi wondered how khi would find Thranduil, when khi finally met him. The history between Erebor and the Woodland Realm haunted the love between Legolas and khîself, but khi could not bring khîself to worry overmuch about it, with the Black Gate ahead of them.

 

\---

 

The long march to the Gate took many days, and in some ways it was as if they were on the road from Rivendell again, for Legolas spoke but little, and that mostly to Aragorn and Gandalf, but at night he brushed out Gimli's hair and braided it, as a lover would, and some days past the Crossroads, Gimli took khî courage in khî hands. Hidden from the camp by a small hill, khi stripped him bare to the starlight and kissed him everywhere, and dared to take his cock into khî mouth and learn the shape of it thus. "Oh," Legolas said, and touched Gimli’s cheek and ear. Khi leaned into the caress, and pressed khî hands firmly against Legolas's thighs, holding him still. This was so far beyond anything khi had ever done with anyone -- save only when Legolas had used his mouth on khî -- and it was not easy, nor entirely pleasant, except for the way khî lover made soft cries into his own hand, and the way he trembled, and how he begged prettily for release and wept when it was granted. Gimli did not care for the taste of his spending, but Legolas drew khî down and kissed the bitterness of it away as if there were nothing he would rather be doing.  _ And perhaps,  _ thought Gimli,  _ there was not. _

 

His hand skimmed up to the lacings of Gimli's trousers, and khi caught them. "No," khi said. "There are too many here -- it would not be safe. I would not be safe, and you know it, who have warned me so cannily of Men. I wished to -- to try a new thing, when we may be riding to our deaths, to know you in the way you knew me." Khi hesitated yet, to explain about bodies and joinings that mattered to khî kind, for khi had never thought khi would need to explain these secrets. Dwarves all understood.

 

Legolas kissed khî again, long and lingering, and then pulled away a little. He was still bare-skinned, a gleam of light all of his own upon the earth. He sorted through his discarded clothing with deft fingers, and removed a small pouch. "I had these made, Gimli, in Minas Tirith," and he shook two silver rings into khî hand. "My people exchange such things, as tokens of betrothal, and I studied your fingers most carefully to get the size of them. This one--" he plucked one out of Gimli's palm "--is for the second finger of your left hand, the heart-string finger." He turned it in the starlight and khi could see the round strokes of Tengwar on its sides. "It is my name, nothing more, but I would be honored if you could wear it -- though we may be riding to our deaths." He smiled, and Gimli could hear the love in his voice in that saying of khî own words back to khî.

 

Khi held up the other ring. "And this?" It had more Tengwar on the sides, and khi cursed khîself for never having troubled to learn it.

 

"It is for my hand," he said, "but I will wear it only if you place it there. It is your name, that you may mark me as I mark you." 

 

Khi turned the ring over in khî hand. Frodo was sent to destroy a ring, and yet here was another. This one was innocent -- made by a mortal silversmith, with no magic upon it save what Legolas may have breathed to it of love. "Give me your hand," khi said, and Legolas did. Gimli slid the ring onto his second finger, and let him slide its match onto khî finger, and Legolas bowed his head over their joined hands and kissed Gimli's knuckles.

 

~~~

 

Gimli expected to feel terror at the Black Gate, but it was as if the Paths of the Dead had burned that out of khî. Fear khi felt aplenty, but not the horror that tore at the spirit, and left ragged holes in the heart that would not heal. The silver ring on khî finger was a small, bright comfort, but that was crushed at the sight of Frodo's mithril coat -- but no, Gandalf, like a white flame, did not fail. 

 

"If they had taken the Ring," khi whispered to Legolas, "they would not have set such terms." 

 

"No," he agreed, "nor gloated over Frodo as a spy; instead Sauron would have rejoiced and come upon us with all his power." 

 

"They had Frodo, of that there is no doubt, but what became of the Ring?" Gimli wondered. "Perhaps Sam took it, and has escaped their hand. He would not fail Frodo, brave little soul." 

 

Legolas clasped khî hand, and there was unspoken passion there, and unspoken hope. The two of them waited in the van with Elrohir and Elladan, impatient for battle; and then it was upon them. The hordes of Mordor screamed as they came. Out of the corner of khî eye khi could see Legolas draw his bow, again and again, as khi struck low, cleaving the unguarded backs of orc-thighs. In close quarters khi dared not go high, as khi had at Helm's Deep; here there was no advantage to it. They must die here, to keep Sauron's gaze away, but though Gimli regretted it, khi felt only a sort of hopeless peace. Khi would die having fought great battles, and having loved, and having kept faith. It would be enough. 

 

When the end came, it came all in a blur: first the Eagles, sweeping down from the skies and scattering the Nazgûl before them; then the terrible call from within the Black Land, and Gandalf's voice shouting above the tumult, and then the ground was shuddering and the orcs flinging their bodies about as if they knew not what they did, and some of the Men from the East threw down their weapons and others ran, and all the beasts seemed to go mad. 

 

Gimli heard, as if from a great distance, Gandalf saying "The Ringbearer has fulfilled his quest," and Legolas's hand sought akhi and tugged khî along after him towards Imrahil's company.

 

"Where is Pippin?" asked Legolas, and Imrahil shook his head. 

 

"I lost sight of him just as the Eagles came," he said. "I fear he is lost. Seek him, if you will, and bring him to be healed if he is yet living." 

 

In silent assent Gimli parted from Legolas, and they began to search, each on their own. Gimli knew not how long khi looked before khi spotted a Hobbit-foot protruding from beneath the body of a troll, and khi found strength khi did not know khi possessed in that moment. Khi heaved the troll away, calling Pippin's name, and then Legolas's. Khî hands were sticky with black troll-blood as khi pulled Pippin from beneath the evil creature, and khî heart stuttered with despair. Khi wanted to tear out khî beard in anguish, but then Legolas was there, crying "He lives! Gimli, my love, he lives -- find Aragorn, find a healer --" and lifting Pippin carefully in his strong arms, cradling him close to his chest. 

 

They bore Pippin to the field-hospital of Imrahil's company, and Aragorn was there, touching the injured with the hands of the king, bringing healing and peace to them. He came at once when Gimli called his name, and bent over Pippin.  Gimli fell back, and felt Legolas groping for khî hand; they stood there, watching, holding onto each other, as if by doing so they could restore their friend to health. Gimli wet khî lips. "We should walk the battlefield," khi said, "and see who else we can bring here for healing." 

 

"Yes," said Legolas, and his hand tightened on Gimli's. Together they went out, to join the others who sought through the dead for the living, and those who laid out the dead to be burnt. 

 

This they were doing still when Gandalf returned with the Windlords, who bore Frodo and Sam -- sick and wounded, but alive -- and Gimli closed khî eyes and sent a prayer of thanks to Mahal, that these last two of their Company had come back at last.

 

~~~

 

In the peaceful tent-city on the field of Cormallen, they bathed together, scrubbing the dirt of battle from every inch of their bodies. When they were clean and dry, Legolas drew khi close. Their naked skin brushed, soft and hot. "The war is over," he said, and kissed khî on the mouth. "We said -- after the war, we said, and I --"

 

Gimli tumbled him down to their bedrolls and rolled on top of him. Desire flared hot inside khî, and khi straddled Legolas's hips; his cock was hard against khî. "Tell me again," khi said, "what counts as an Elf-wedding?" 

 

"Such things as I have never done, my love," Legolas said. "Such things as I desire, I almost dare not speak them. To join our bodies together, mine to yours, to feel your pleasure at our joining and to share my own." He combed his fingers through Gimli's beard, and tugged khî down into another kiss. His cock slid between khî thighs and nudged against khî sex. Khi remembered his hands there, the first time they had lain together, when their bodies had nearly outrun their good sense. Now Legolas was beneath khî, his hands trembling on khî hips, but they knew — they both knew what it was they were about to do, and they balanced on the edge of it together.

 

Gimli pressed back, and Legolas gasped, short and sharp, but held still. Khi could feel the tension in him, could sense his strength coiled within him. Khi wanted him to turn it loose, but also to accept akhi; to overpower khî and yet yield to khî. Khi reached down to touch his cock, and Legolas, as if given permission to move, slipped one hand to Gimli's own sex. Khi was not so slick as khi could be, but his fingers changed that soon enough. His cock was hot in khî hand, with a droplet of fluid at its tip, and his fingers were inside khî, the heel of his hand pressing firmly on the cockhead above khî slit. The pressure of it made khî sex throb, little spikes of pleasure shuddering out from where they touched. 

 

“We must speak of some things, first,” khi said, reluctantly, and drew a little away from him. “I — Dwarves hold sacred the caverns of the body, and to admit one to them is to say that one takes not merely a lover, but forms a serious attachment. You did not know, the first time you put your hand inside me, nor now, but — no, you did no wrong!” Legolas had eased his fingers from khî body, a faint line of distress between his brows. Gimli kissed him lightly. “I have taken you in the cavern of my mouth, and of my sex, and I would have protested these things if I did not want them. There is nothing you have done that I did not want. But I -- there are other things that are meaningful to my people, and I do not know what  _ your _ people will and will not do.” 

 

"What is it that you would do?" Legolas asked.

 

Gimli leaned down and kissed him, as khi had before, and when he responded, khi opened khî mouth and touched khî tongue to his lips. He made a noise, and then opened his mouth beneath akhi. Gimli cradled his head in khî hands and touched khî tongue to his, and the sensation was like a flint in the dark, a bright sparking thing. Legolas's chest was heaving when Gimli let him go. "Now we have joined the caverns of our mouths," Gimli said. "That is one of the two caverns of male-sex persons, do you see?"

 

Legolas nodded, and took a deep, steadying breath. His pupils were blown wide, and he trembled between Gimli's thighs. "I -- we do not kiss so, among my kind. I had not thought of such a thing." He reached up and drew Gimli back down, and kissed khî open-mouthed again, softly and sweetly, and drew khî tongue gently into his mouth and then released khî. "Oh," he said, letting his head thump down on the bedroll. "That is a kiss for lovemaking, yes?"

 

"For us, it is a type of lovemaking on its own," Gimli said. "I have never kissed so, before you, but I know the way of it. We are all taught most carefully as youths, that we should not cause hurt to others through ignorance." 

 

"Kiss me once more, love, and then teach me what else you would have me know." 

 

Gimli kissed him slowly this time, pressing khîself to him chest-to-chest, feeling his smooth skin under akhi. His mouth learned the way of the caress and became bolder, and he wrapped his arms around Gimli and held khî tightly. When they parted this time, Legolas reached up and wrapped his fingers in Gimli's hair. "Now. You said, two caverns to the male-sex person?"

 

Gimli rocked a little against Legolas's cock, still caught against khî sex. Khi could just -- just slide up, and take him in -- but this was important, that he understand, if nothing else. "And female-sex have three, yes." 

 

Legolas looked curious. "Gimli, do you mean--" and now he was blushing furiously, scarlet from his collarbones to his ear-tips. "For my kind, too, that would be a touch only for -- betrothed, perhaps, or those who are wed." 

 

"You are very clean, just now," Gimli said. "Will you let me show you our ways? You need not, now or ever, but it would please me to try." 

 

Legolas tightened his fingers in Gimli's hair and tugged gently. "I think I would try anything you asked," he said. "How--"

 

Gimli shifted off of him. "Roll over," khi said, "and draw up one knee." Khi admired the long curve of his back; the muscles beneath his skin. He was fair in the way things made by the Valar are fair, in ways no mortal making could approach, and yet he was here, under Gimli's mortal hands. Khi kissed the small of his back, and tucked his bent knee up a bit higher. Khi ran khî finger down the cleft of his buttocks and brushed over the entrance to his cavern; Legolas shuddered and made a pleased noise. Khi cupped his jewels gently in khî hand, and bent to kiss the path khi had traced. Khi breathed softly on Legolas's entrance, and he gasped, "Are -- I thought you were going to use your fingers?" 

 

"Do you want me to stop?"

 

"No!" 

 

Khi touched khî tongue to Legolas's cleft, giving him a chance to pull away, but he did not. Khi stroked over his entrance; he had been thorough in his bathing but they had been at love-play some time, and in such an intimate place he tasted of arousal. Legolas cried out, and then muffled his mouth with his forearm. His chest heaved, as it had after they had kissed earlier. "Gimli," he said, "if you do not take care, we shall have to consider this our wedding, and save the other for a later time." 

 

Gimli looked at the silver ring on khî left hand, and said, "Then we wed now, but I beg you to hold off if you can, for I greatly desire your cock in me," and pressed khî tongue to Legolas's entrance again.

 

“I— Gimli, I wish only to marry you, howsoever that be done—whether you put your pretty cock in me, or whether you grant me entrance to your third cavern — only, please, I cannot wait much longer.”

 

Gimli looked at him. He was half-turned onto his side so that he could look over his shoulder at khi. He trembled, all over the long stretch of his body, and his eyes were wild. Khi soothed him with firm strokes down his side and back. Khi  _ wanted _ , but did not want to torment khi love more with experimentation, not this night. 

 

Khi leaned up over him, and kissed him again, open-mouthed, and he opened to khi tongue with a soft keening noise. “Never fear,” Gimli said, into his mouth. “I am yours. I will make you mine.”

 

Khi turned him again, gently, and ran khî hands down his body. His skin was pale as skimmed milk and shone with that peculiar Elvish light; if he had not been so solid under Gimli's hands, khi might have thought him a spirit-being, something akin to the cursed Dead. Khi straddled his hips again and slid khî sex against Legolas's cock, until khi could feel him nudging at khî cavern. Legolas reached down and stroked two fingers over Gimli's cockhead, and Gimli kissed him, reveling in the feel of almost-joining, of waiting, of both of them breathless and trembling. "Use your hand," khi said, and Legolas shifted his grip until he was finally, finally pressing in, guiding Gimli down with his other hand. 

 

They both held still, breathless all over again, until Gimli shifted, rolling khî hips, wanting to feel khî lover move within khî. Legolas gasped and arched his back, and Gimli leaned up and bit at the curve of his neck. Legolas curled inward around khî, thrusting up and wrapping his arms around khî all at once, and Gimli laughed and pressed him flat again, twisting khî feet behind khî to hold down Legolas's thighs. 

 

"Oh," said Legolas, "shall we make it a contest?"

 

"Always," Gimli said. 

 

~~~

 

"I am yours, you know," said Legolas, afterwards, when they were both sleepy and sated. He lay with Gimli's head upon his breast, and his heart thudded slow and strong under khî ear. "I hear the Sea calling me, calling me away to the land of my people forever! But I will not leave you, I swear it. None could part me from you, except by force; I shall never go of my own will."

 

Gimli kissed along his pale skin, tasting the salt and musk that their lovemaking had left behind. "We shall not speak of partings now," khi said, "not when we have just been joined so deeply."

 

"Mm," said Legolas, sleepily. "Are you my husband, by the by? Or my wife?" 

 

Gimli smiled into his ribcage. "Husband if I am with you, outside the mountain. Wife or husband, if I am at home and you are abroad; you must use your judgement. Spouse, if we are both within the bounds of a Dwarvish realm."

 

"Dwarves are delightfully complicated," Legolas said, burying the fingers of his left hand into Gimli's hair. Khi could feel his betrothal-ring snagging at strands of hair, tiny pleasant pains that said  _ this is real, this is he who you have married, Mahal's child. This is he who loves you, and will love you for all time.  _

 

"So are Elves," khi said, and looked up at him. His eyes were open, and there was a strange look in them -- not an expression, precisely, but as if something in them had changed. Khi frowned and studied him closely.  “There is something different about your eyes,” khi said. “And you—that shine of yours is a different color.” 

 

Legolas hummed happily. “Yes. When Elves wed, it changes us, and those who know such things can see. You know me, and so you see; this is a change that you wrought in me. I am in part your handiwork now, and shall be for all tomorrows.”

 

Gimli thought about this. “Aragorn did not see,” khi said, “after he came upon us in Helm’s Deep. He asked, for he could not tell.”

 

“I am not sure if it is a limitation of his eyes,” said Legolas, “or only that he has not seen an Elf marry before. Perhaps we shall find out on the morrow.” 

 

Indeed, the next morning, Elladan flung himself down beside them in the mess-tent with his eyebrow cocked-up. "Well," he said. "Isn't  _ this _ interesting."

 

"You can hardly be surprised," Legolas said, and Elladan laughed. 

 

"We all knew  _ you _ were burning to be wed as soon as you could. It is only that we thought friend Gimli would come to his senses." Elladan winked at Gimli, and khi raised an eyebrow back at him.

 

Elrohir sat beside his brother. "Perhaps you thought so," he said, "but I have more faith in the constancy of hearts than that. And Durin's folk are reliable and steady in their love, like mountain rocks." He reached over and stole a boiled egg from Elladan's plate. "You do not need three eggs," he said, peevishly. 

 

Elladan rolled his eyes. "Simply because you are too lazy to get your own eggs is no cause for you to steal mine," he said, and took his egg back. 

 

Almost at that instant, Aragorn came in, took two eggs from Elladan's plate, said "Good morning, my friends" and left again, trailing two of his kinsmen behind him. 

 

"I suppose Aragorn cannot tell, then," Gimli said, and Elladan choked on his last egg.

 

~~~

 

It was long days before Frodo and Sam were healed enough for honor to be done them, and then for all to sit and talk together -- except that Aragorn was not there. He rarely was, anymore. They talked for a long time, over many topics, and then Gandalf and Gimli saw the Hobbits, still weary, off to bed. Legolas had gone away, singing about the Sea in his beautiful voice, and would likely be wandering out half the night. Gimli thought that one newly-wed should not be quite so eager to be away from his loved one, but Legolas was Legolas, and his love was as strong-hearted as a pillar of stone. Khi would not have him be other than he was.

 

Khi smoked a last pipe with Gandalf, after the Hobbits were settled into sleep. 

 

"Does it worry you," Gandalf asked, after a time, "the sea-longing?" 

 

Gimli twisted khî ring on khî finger, and smiled. "No," khi replied. "No, for I know him. He can no more leave me on these shores than he can cut out the sweet summer blossom of his heart."

 

Gandalf clapped khî firmly on the shoulder. "May winter be long in coming," khi said. 

 

~~~

 

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> Notes on gender and reproductive biology in this story:
> 
> Dwarves in this story have a unary rather than a multigender system. One could also describe their system as non-gendered or an agender system. They usually conceptualize themselves as “all one kind”. They have a concept for male-sexed and female-sexed but understand these to be irrelevant to what kind of person one is. Gimli has a body that we would consider intersex, but Gimli does not, because Dwarves do not have a concept for intersexed people. They divide sexes by how many "caverns of the body" they have -- male-sexed persons have two caverns, and female-sexed persons have three. The pronouns they use for themselves are khi/khî (pronounced roughly "kih" and "key"); akhi is the equivalent of his/hers/theirs. I have modified these from Neo-Khuzdul as developed by The Dwarrow Scholar to better suit the purposes of this story. In Westron, all Dwarves use he/him pronouns. Dwarves use khi/khî for Maiar and Valar as well, but again will use he or she for those same beings when speaking Westron, so Gimli thinks of Gandalf as "khi" but refers to Gandalf out loud as "he". Some inspiration for this concept was this tumblr post: https://avelera.tumblr.com/post/96722680140/sunspotpony-prettyinpixiedust-so-one-day-a
> 
>  
> 
> Elves here have trinary system, which in Sindarin are elleth/ellith (sing/pl. feminine), ellon/ellyn (sing/pl. masculine), and ellben/ellbin (sing/pl. undetermined-nonbinary spectrum, from the Sindar ben/bin, person/people). Elves are all born ellbin and may choose whether they become ellith or ellyn, or they may remain ellbin. Ellbin use they/their pronouns in Westron. Because magic, an Elf’s choice alters their body to align their physical appearance with their gender. Ellbin bodies vary widely, based on the needs and desires of the Elf in question; some ellbin are indistinguishable from ellyn or ellith to non-Elvish eyes, even when unclad. Other ellbin may appear visibly intersexed. Elves generally do not bother to explain their gender system to anyone, but they do not particularly care about keeping it secret. No Elves are misgendered in this story, but it is probably obvious from the story that ellbin, in particular, are likely to be misgendered by non-Elves with some regularity. Because Elves reproduce by wishbabies (Tolkien was wild, y'all), any gender and physical sex combination of Elven partners is theoretically able to produce children with the right combination of sex and magic wishes. 
> 
> Legolas conceptualizes Gimli’s gender as being like that of ellbin, but this is not quite accurate. Gimli is best understood as somewhere on an agender-nonbinary spectrum rather than an undetermined-nonbinary spectrum. Neither of them knows enough about the other's gender system to realize that Legolas's belief is incorrect, although Gimli suspects this may be so. Legolas avoids using pronouns for Gimli in Westron once he is aware of Gimli's gender, as much as he can. He knows Gimli uses he/his in Westron, but this feels strange to him since an ellben would use they/their, so he tries to walk a line between Gimli's desires and his own culture. Gimli notices this and is bothered enough by it to ask about it. 
> 
> The Men in this story have extremely binary and biologically-determined conceptions of gender, which are mentioned but not explored in depth. Aragorn’s views are somewhat different, because he is Elrond’s foster-son, but he hasn’t thought very much about this and believes the different treatment of gender among Elves has to do with differences between their biology and the biology of Men. He has no idea about Dwarven unary gender and believes Gimli to be masculine-gendered. Gimli does not consider this misgendering, because of the Dwarven custom of deliberately using he/him outside their homes, but it may feel like misgendering to the reader.
> 
> Additional notes: This Legolas was inspired by Buff Legolas, I’m not gonna lie. http://sinuswave.tumblr.com/post/156056445509/hello-everyone-remember-when-i-said-i-would-draw-a

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [customs of gender](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17569295) by [mothicalcreatures (laelreenia)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/laelreenia/pseuds/mothicalcreatures)




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